Turkey breast cooking times per pound

Saylor Connors Updated February 21, 2017

Turkey breast is one of the easiest and healthiest entrées you can make. Cooking only requires a calibrated oven and a meat thermometer. Most turkey breasts are sold with the bone in. This keeps the turkey breast moist and flavourful, as the breast itself contains little fat.

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Tips on cooking the perfect turkey breast

Pick a pan with shorter sides to roast your breast so the hot air can circulate for even cooking. If you place the turkey breast on a roasting rack, hot air also will circulate under the breast. Pour 240 ml (a cup) of water on the bottom of a turkey pan for easy clean-up after roasting.

Make sure the turkey breast is completely thawed before cooking. If it is still frozen in the centre, the breast will cook unevenly. A frozen turkey breast can be thawed by placing it in a refrigerator for 24 hours.

Conventional oven roasting times

Turkey breasts cooked at between 160 and 165 degrees Celsius (325 Fahrenheit) in a conventional oven should be cooked according to the following times:

0.9 to 1.4 kg (2 to 3 pound) turkey breast: 1 1/2 - 2 hours

1.8 to 2.7 kg (4 to 6 pound) turkey breast: 1 1/2 to 2 1/4 hours

3.2 to to 3.6 kg (7 to 8 pound) turkey breast: 2 1/4 to 3 1/4 hours

All poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius (165 Fahrenheit) for safe eating. Use an oven-safe meat thermometer stuck in the thickest part of the breast to read the proper temperature.

Convection oven turkey breast cooking time

If you plan to use the convection cooking setting on your oven to roast your turkey breast, you must adjust the cooking time. Convection oven baking circulates the hot air with fans for more even cooking. Convection cooking also encourages better and more even browning of foods. If you plan to use a convection oven to cook your turkey breast, reduce the cooking time by at least 25 per cent. For example, if your turkey needs 90 minutes of baking time in a conventional oven, bake it for about 70 minutes in a convection oven.

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References

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About the Author

A journalism graduate from Temple University, Saylor Connors has been a contributing food and travel editor to a digital media company for the past five years. Today, with her husband, a commercial pilot, Connors travels the world and teaches international cooking classes in her spare time.